Italy set to replace Maldini with Zoff

Cesare Maldini will be sacked as Italy's coach this week and replaced by former captain and goalkeeper Dino Zoff, the ANSA news agency reported yesterday. It said Luciano Nizzola, president of the Italian Football Federation, met Maldini for talks in Turin yesterday and would return to Rome today where he will meet Zoff.

A decision would probably be announced before meetings of the Italian Olympic Committee CONI and the Football League, both of which are scheduled for Thursday, ANSA said.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have received UEFA's backing for their plan to play Champions' League games at Wembley in the coming season. The Double-winning club's scheme would potentially double attendances from 35,000 to 70,000.

Frits Ahlstrom, a UEFA spokesman, said: "We feel that because of the huge amount of interest generated by these games it is a sensible option to use a larger venue. We are backing the move because it means more genuine fans will be able to see Arsenal in Europe."

Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal coach, said: "I always wanted to play at Wembley in the Champions' League and having extra support could give us a huge lift. We are waiting for the final agreement but the move looks likely to happen."

Meanwhile, Manchester United, who will play in the qualifying stages of the Champions' League, have put the proposed £3 million transfer of Marc-Vivien Foe from Lens on hold.

Foe has failed a medical examination and United plan to make another check next month on the leg the Cameroon midfielder broke while training with the World Cup squad.

United are still hoping, however, that the signing of Jesper Blomqvist from Parma for around £5 million will be completed this week in time for the Sweden winger to play in the qualifying stages.

Such is the speculation concerning the transfer activities of the deposed Premiership champions that local bookmakers have been refusing to quote odds against Alan Shearer leaving Newcastle for Old Trafford.

Newcastle have said they will not sell the England striker "even for £25 million" but a spokesman for the Manchester bookmaker Fred Done said: "We are not interested in bets like this."

John Gregory, the Aston Villa manager, has given his striker Stan Collymore another chance to resurrect his career. Gregory, who said recently that he would not give Collymore a shirt number for the new season until he deserved it, has now handed him the coveted number nine. Gregory took a close look at Argentina's Ariel Ortega before deciding against a deal. Now he will rely heavily on Collymore. "It is no secret that I have been looking for a new striker who can get me 30 goals next season, but maybe I have one in the dressing-room after all," Gregory said.

Bayern Munich have confirmed an approach from Newcastle United for the Germany midfielder Dietmar Hamann. Newcastle have reportedly offered a four-year contract to the 24-year-old, whose place at Bayern is set to go to the new signing Stefan Effenberg.

Meanwhile, Kenny Dalglish, the Newcastle manager, has defended his decision to spend £3.5 million on France's World Cup flop Stephane Guivarc'h.

Dalglish, in no doubt that he has recruited a centre-forward of quality and promise, asked: "When was the last time a World Cup winner played for this club? And when was the last time someone who scored 60 goals in his previous two seasons came to this club?"

Guivarc'h, together with England's World Cup participants Alan Shearer, David Batty and Rob Lee, are all still on holiday and will be missing when Newcastle travel to Dublin for their friendly with Bohemians next Monday. The club's six other new signings will all be available.

The utility player Brian O'Neil yesterday completed his £350,000 move from Aberdeen, where he has been unable to settle, to the German club Wolfsburg.

The Denmark midfielder Morten Wieghorst has twisted a knee and was yesterday ruled out of Celtic's Champions' League qualifying first-round tie against St Patrick's Athletic at Parkhead tomorrow.